A/N: Chapter 1 is up, and thanks to Ryuken9 for letting me use his idea. Especially since I have no ideas of my own at the moment. Hehe…Anyway, I hope you enjoy Gems of Advent, even if the chapters turn out too short or something else you don't like. But enough of this nonsense, let's get on with the story!
Disclaimer: I don't own MapleStory or this idea. I'm just the messenger. Ryuken9 owns this idea.
P.S. This is the revised chapter.
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Tsu paced back and forth in the almost empty, yet colorful room, deep in thought. "I have found one of the gems, after all this time…" She thought out loud, fingering one of her blue locks of hair, and her lips curled into a smirk. "I shall start with the Emerald of Dexterity." She looked up and turned to one of her servants in the room. "Domo!"
Domo jumped, surprised by her sudden outburst. "Yes? What is your command?"
"Get me the Emerald of Dexterity," she commanded, giving him a steely look. Hadn't he heard her monologue?
"Y-Yes, Shoji and I will fetch it for you," Domo stammered, unnerved by her piercing look. He turned to his servant, Shoji, who was gazing off into the distance dreamily. "Isn't that right?"
Shoji snapped out of his reverie quickly. "Yes!" Shoji yelled, a little too loudly for Domo's comfort, who winced. "We shall get right on it, mistress."
"Good," Tsu said, amused by her subordinate's reactions. She reached into her pocket. "Here is where it is," she added, carelessly tossing a piece of paper to the floor. The Death Angel picked it up off the floor with his gloved hand and examined it. He beckoned to Shoji, who grabbed the map, and the two of them walked out of the room. The goddess smirked, as she turned to the chair behind her and settled down into the plush seat.
Now it was time to wait.
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'What is Goddess Tsu up to these days?' Domo thought as he walked along the streets of Ludibrium, his ever-loyal servant tagging along after him. Lately, the castle had been in chaos, as their group's goddess had finally taken human form and come down to the world. But was there really a need to start so soon?
The other Death Angels had mixed feelings about these plans as well. Nami, foolish as ever, never had a complete idea of Tsu's intentions; she only followed the Goddess blindly. Zoji was only another pawn, with no use to Tsu but to be a useful sacrifice. Suji, her right-hand man, knew of the entire plan, of course, and couldn't care less of what happened to the others, as long as his own life was kept intact. And Shoji…? He looked over as his servant, who had stopped.
"Shoji?"
"It's this house."
Domo looked up at the colorful brick house. "So it is." And they opened the door and entered.
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"Ugh…"
That was the first word—no, sound—that escaped Shikumo's mouth as he woke up that morning. He blinked groggily, staring at the multicolored floor tiles…Wait, floor tiles?
"Oh, man," he moaned. "I have got to stop falling off the bed…" He pushed himself up slowly into a sitting position. His problem with falling off the bed was beginning to get out of hand. He had no idea how hard the floor was until he had hit it two nights ago…He heard a creaking sound from the stairs. He jumped up, suddenly alert. "Who's there?!"
He jumped up as he saw two people enter his room. One, a bowman with his brown hair tied back in a ponytail. Shikumo wasn't usually one to judge personalities from the first glance, but the bowman's eyes glittered as if from impatience and…rage, perhaps? A rounded hat with a feather adorned his head, and he wore silver and blue armor.
Another person entered the room behind the archer, a mage, by the looks of his clothing. He looked closer to Shikumo's age, and he seemed...more innocent? Playful? His eyes practically shone with curiosity, and his red robes rustled as he moved.
Shikumo looked back at the bowman, opening his mouth to ask what his name was and why he was even in his house. However, the bowman was not looking at him. Rather, his eyes were concentrated on the emerald glittering on the windowsill next to Shikumo.
'That's the jewel that Lady Tsu mentioned…'
"Hand over that emerald or die!" Domo ordered, not bothering to maintain any manners.
"Yeah!" Shoji added, unable to stay silent in a situation like this.
"No!" Shikumo cried, running over to the emerald. He stood in front of it protectively. "It's my family emerald, and You. Can't. Have. It!" He spoke each word as if he was spitting the letters out at them.
"Well, then," Domo commented, smirking as he lifted his bow, "We'll just have to kill you!"
"Never!"
Shikumo hurriedly picked up the shining green gem and rushed down the stairs. Domo and Shoji ran after him.
"Fire Arrow!"
"Take this!"
Both of the Death Angels smirked, certain they had him. However, Shikumo expertly darted away from both arrows in a split second, unscathed.
"Wha—Why can't I hit him?" Domo demanded, shocked.
"It must be that Emerald of Dexterity. He probably dodges it so fast, we can't see him!" Shoji said, lowering his Fairy Wand. Both stopped, pondering what to do next in this situation.
"See ya!"
"What?!"
Domo turned to see Shikumo running outside through the door. With a growl, the two of them followed after the emerald's holder.
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Shikumo's feet hit the ground hard as he ran with the emerald, laughing silently about his clever escape, until a shower of arrows came flying past him. Holding on to the Emerald of Dexterity, he dodged all of the arrows expertly, holding back a fit of giggles.
"Why can't I hit him?!" Domo yelled, enraged.
"Maybe…You're just too slow!" Shikumo grinned recklessly, and snuck up behind Shoji. With a swift movement, he struck his Zard through the servant's body.
"You killed him!" Domo roared, as the lifeless body crumpled onto the floor. 'What…What's going on here?'
Would you like to be next?" Shikumo asked, smirking. He was starting to enjoy this.
"Just try!"
Domo lifted his bow and shot out a volley of arrows, which Shikumo maneuvered around quickly as he swung a blow at Domo. The latter jumped back, his brown hair blowing into his face, and shot more arrows at Shikumo, yelling "Double Shot!". Shikumo ducked under them and charged at Domo, his Zard firmly grasped in his hands.
The two continued to exchange blows, one after the other, both in an intricate dance of weapons and skills. Someone was about to end it…Shikumo grinned, as he saw Domo's guard drop for just a fraction of a second, but that was all he needed. Clutching the Emerald of Dexterity, he swung the Zard at him, screaming "Power Strike!!!"
Domo's eyes widened as he fell onto the ground, gasping. The cut had opened a large, bloody gash running down his chest, tearing his armor and pooling the blood around the Death Angel's body. His ponytail had become undone, and his eyes were starting to slip out of focus.
"Now talk!" Shikumo yelled hurriedly. Time was running out, and he couldn't afford to lose any of it. "Why are you after my family's emerald?!"
"I…can't tell you…But I can tell you this…" Domo whispered, taking short, ragged breaths. Shikumo knelt down so he could hear well. "My mistress…She's after the Opal of Light next…in Ellinia…"
"Why?!" Shikumo demanded, shaking him. "Why is she after it?!"
A shadow of a smile appeared on Domo's face. "That's…all I can tell you…Ugh…" He closed his eyes and ceased to breathe, and Shikumo watched in awe as the body began to dissolve into the air, leaving behind only a puddle of dark blood as evidence.
"Hmmm…" Shikumo thought out loud. 'Other people could be in danger…'
"Well, I guess I'm going to Ellinia." And without another word, he set off toward the Ticket Station.
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"Curses!"
The word echoed throughout the room as the goddess in disguise slammed her fist against the arm of her chair, her porcelain face a picture of pure fury.
"He failed! That good-for-nothing moron!" She breathed in and out deeply, to try and calm down. 'Don't panic, Tsu…Goddesses must stay focused and in control…' It hardly worked, but it made her feel the tiniest bit better. "Well, then, I guess I'm going to Ellinia for my next target. My followers would do me good to follow…"
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'Where's Domo…?'
Death Angel Nami had these words echoing in her mind as she patrolled one of the castle's many halls, the folds in her Dark Calaf rustling as she took her steps. She waved her Arc Staff back and forth slowly, lazily letting the tip scrape the floor.
'I thought Domo promised to help me train today…?' She stood, transfixed, staring at the scratch mark on the ground in wonder. "Whoops…"
"What did you do now, Nami?"
She looked up at Zoji, another one of the Death Angels. "Nothing important," she said hurriedly. "W-Where's Domo?"
Zoji looked at her, a hint of what was either confusion or panic in his obsidian eyes. "I'm not sure, to tell you the truth," he confessed. "Why do you ask?"
"Dunno." She averted her eyes from his gaze.
"You better not let Tsu know you have friends," Zoji warned. "Friendship is an undesirable trait in a Death Angel."
"I know…" she sighed, rolling her amber eyes. "I don't need any lectures right now…But you know, it gets kinda lonely in this place if you've got no friends, right…?"
"NAMI!!!"
The two of them jumped at Tsu's announcement, which echoed throughout the hallway. "I better go before I get in trouble…" she mumbled, teleporting away. Zoji looked at the wisp of magic left in the air from Nami's spell, and lowered his eyes to the ground.
"Nami…You better not die, too…"
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The female Death Angel, carrying an Arc Staff, appeared in the room and walked over to where she stood, her eyes looking confused. She opened her mouth and began, "Wh—" But after glancing at Tsu's face, she opted for a safer choice of words. "Yes, my mistress?"
"Tell the others we are going to Ellinia," Tsu said carelessly, fiddling with one of the cords on her black jacket.
"Yes, at once!" Nami said, turning and running out of the room.
"Yes…When the time comes…" Tsu muttered to herself. This twist of fate was beginning to unravel a very interesting plan.
"When the time comes…I shall get them all!"
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Next Chapter—Chapter 2: The Fairy's Opal
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Like? Dislike? I don't really know how to handle battle scenes, but I tried my best, and I hope it's good enough...I appreciate reviews, and constructive criticism is always accepted with a giant smile and any food you like, as long as it's loaded with sugar. XD Review anyway.